Become a Reader Leader

How does spending an afternoon reading great literature in good company sound to you?

Shared Reading can provide a moment of calm in an otherwise busy routine or for some, it might be the only thing to get them out of the house. Whatever a group member’s reason for coming along to a Shared Reading session, we want to make sure that we’re there for them every week.

It might sound like a big commitment, four hours each week to prepare and run a session, but our volunteers think it’s worth it:

92% said they gained a real sense of achievement*

97% would recommend volunteering with The Reader to other people*

“The best organisation I have ever belonged to”

A year ago I completed my volunteer Read to Lead training and now run my own weekly Shared Reading group. . .

This enables me to enjoy my favourite pastime in the company of others, to interact, to listen and to open up my mind to new ideas. This helps me to be more accepting of and receptive to the opinions of others. To read stories, novels and poetry together is fun and exciting and something to look forward to each week. It is challenging and stimulating, testing my organisational skills and my ability to encourage others’ self expression. I really enjoy reading aloud and listening to other group members read. The discussions are varied and friendly even though opinions differ. There is a caring and respectful atmosphere at The Reader and people are given listening time when they need to talk.

The Reader is the best organisation I have ever belonged to as a group member and as a volunteer. The training for volunteer roles is outstanding and there is excellent ongoing support. I am always made to feel that I am a valued member of the community.

Joyce, Reader Leader, Liverpool

If you want to give your time to give something back to your local community, running a Shared Reading group could be for you.

How can you get involved?

As a Volunteer Reader Leader you’ll receive full training and support, starting your journey on our inspiring Read to Lead programme where you’ll be equipped with the confidence, insight and skills needed to lead a Shared Reading group.

Read to Lead

You’ll begin with a series of invigorating, thought-provoking sessions delivered as an intensive three-day course or flexibly over a period of weeks. During initial training you will:

experience the joy of Shared Reading first-hand and develop an understanding of how it can change lives

learn key techniques that underpin Shared Reading and how to put them into practice

During this enriching experience you’ll discover the power literature has to bring people together and connect with our wider network of Reader Leaders – volunteers who are setting out on this journey with you to create a movement and change the world, one page at a time.

Be part of the story. . .

Ready to find out more? Pop your details in the form below and let’s have a chat about our Read to Lead programme and how you can start your own Shared Reading group.

Your Name (required)

Your Email (required)

Your Telephone Number (required)

How would you prefer that we contact you?(required)EmailTelephone

Your Postcode (required)

Year of Birth (required)

Have you attended a Shared Reading group before? (required)YesNo

Who are you interested in reading with? (required)AdultsChildren

What is it about volunteering with The Reader that interests you?

How did you hear about volunteering with The Reader?

The Reader will use the data you provide to contact you about relevant volunteering opportunities in your area and to understand how people find out volunteering with us (‘legitimate interests’). We’ll only keep your personal data for as long as you want to be contacted by us. All of our email communications will give you the opportunity to unsubscribe from our mailing lists. If you’re still on our mailing list after two years we’ll get back in contact to check you’re still happy to hear from us. We will not sell or pass on your details to any third parties. If you have any queries please contact The Reader’s Data Compliance Manager using the contact details at the bottom of this page. You have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office if you are unhappy with our response. The data we collect is stored securely in line with the Data Protection Act 1998, GDPR and The Reader’s Data Protection Policy, which is available on request. All queries should be directed to: The Data Compliance Manager, The Reader, Mansion House, Calderstones Park, Liverpool, L18 3JB Tel: 0151 729 2200 Email: data@thereader.org.uk You must be be aged over 13 to submit your data.

Thank you for expressing an interest in volunteering with The Reader. Your details have been sent to our team; we’ll be in touch as soon as possible using your preferred mode of contact. In the meantime, here’s some things you can do to start your Shared Reading story.

1 – Visit a group

If you aren’t an existing group member or haven’t dropped into a session yet; before training, we ask volunteers to attend an open community Shared Reading group. Groups are always free to attend and there is no need to book. Find your closest group here.

You can also get an idea of how a group works with this group snapshot video:

2 – Complete our application form

If you’ve already visited a Shared Reading group and are interested in training to become a volunteer Reader Leader, we’ll ask you to complete our application form. One of the team will email this to you, but you can also download it here if you want to make a start.